Center-left Socialist People's Party leads Denmark in European Parliament elections

By Ebad Ahmed

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AA) — Denmark's center-left Socialist People's Party scored a major win in last week's European elections, the country's public broadcaster confirmed Monday as it bucked the right-wing surge seen in other parts of the bloc.

Compared to the last EU polls in 2019, preliminary results showed the party raising its vote share by over 4 points as it secured 17.4% in the elections, which lasted four days across the EU but began and ended on Sunday in Denmark.

This placed it as the Danish party with the most votes in the European Parliament, holding three of the country's 15 seats, in what leader Pia Olsen Dyhr said would be a "catalyst" for the new political landscape in Denmark.

"There's an alternative to this government. There's an alternative that wants more welfare and to do more for the climate and we are willing to deliver this in the EU parliament," she told broadcaster DR.

"It gives us a tailwind and enthusiasm for the party and it means people will be even more ready for local elections next year and the general election further ahead," added Olsen Dyhr.

The Social Democrats, who were second-place in the elections in Denmark, also got three seats, but with a loss of 5.9 points to 15.6%, according to preliminary results.

The country's ruling coalition partners, the Liberals and Moderates, also suffered a damaging evening.

The Liberals' vote share decreased 8.8 points to 14.7%, while the number of seats it controls in the European Parliament halved from four to two.

The Moderates, meanwhile, won a single seat for their lead candidate Stine Bosse with a vote share of 5.9%. Party leader Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in his reaction on the results that the polls showcased that "we need to sharpen our appetite for change."